How to Get Dry Paint Out of Clothes

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It’s a scenario that might be very familiar to you. Maybe you’re repainting a room in your home, putting the finishing touches on your latest work of art, or doing some at-home crafting with your kids, when you accidentally get a splash of paint on your clothes – but you don’t notice until it’s dry! You might think your clothes are ruined, but don’t give up hope. With a few simple techniques, you should be able to remove the dried paint – whether it’s latex, acrylic, or oil – and have your clothes looking like new again in no time.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Removing Latex or Acrylic Paint

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    Oil-based paints are rarely used in home decorating anymore, so your paint stain is probably a water-based latex. Check the label on the tube or can of paint you used to see if it says ‘latex’ or ‘acrylic latex.’ Proceed with the following method if the paint is latex-based, also called water-based.
    • If you can’t find the original paint tube or container and still aren’t sure, try testing a small area of the surface you were painting. Dip a cotton ball into a little bit of denatured alcohol and rub it over a tiny surface area of your painting project. If the paint comes off, it’s latex-based. If it doesn’t come off, it’s oil-based. [1]
    • If you don’t want to risk wiping paint off your project, think back to how you cleaned your brush. Oil paints require solvents like mineral spirits or turpentine to wash brushes, whereas latex-based paints only need water. [2]
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    Saturate the stain completely. The alcohol in the aerosol hairspray will loosen the dried paint. [3]
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    Dab the paint stain with a clean wet cloth, then saturate it with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). Slowly pour the alcohol straight out of the bottle directly onto the stain. [4]
    • Do a test first on an inconspicuous spot of fabric to make sure the hairspray or alcohol won’t discolor your clothes.
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    [5] If your fabric isn’t too delicate, use a butter knife to gently scrape at the paint. Run your knife back and forth across the saturated stain until the paint loosens up. [6]
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    Take a soft bristle toothbrush and rub it back and forth across the stain. Loosen up as much of the dried paint as possible. [7]
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    Blot the fabric with a towel to dry it a little. Repeat the process of saturating the stain with hairspray or rubbing alcohol, scrubbing at it, and then rinsing until the stain is no longer visible.
    • If you want, try spraying the fabric with stain remover while you’re running it under the hot water. [8]
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    Wash your clothes in the washing machine according to the instructions on the care tag. Dry them in the dryer or let them air dry, depending on their specific laundering instructions. [9]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Getting Oil Paint Out of Your Clothes

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    Latex-based paints are more common in home improvement projects, but your paint could still be oil-based. Check the tube or container your paint came in. If you can’t find it, think back to whether you cleaned your brush with water or a solvent like turpentine or mineral spirits. Oil-based paints require solvents for washing brushes. [10]
    • Perform a strip test on a small area of the surface you were painting. Dab a cotton ball in a bit of denatured alcohol and rub it across a tiny area of the paint. If the paint doesn’t come off, it’s oil-based. [11]
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    Rub gently at the fabric to loosen up as much paint as you can. Take care not to damage the material. [12]
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    Scrape the toothbrush over the paint. Loosen up as much as you can. [13]
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    [14] Put the fabric down on some paper towels or clean cloths. Dip a sponge in a bit of turpentine and dab the stain from the back to press the paint out of the fabric, rather than further in. Tamp the stain with the sponge. Repeat the process until you can’t get any more paint out this way.
    • Replace the paper towels or cloths under the stain as needed, if they become too covered in paint. [15]
    • If you don't have turpentine, try another removal agent, such as paint thinner. [16]
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    Put a clean cloth or paper towel behind the area. Blot to remove any remaining removal agent. [17]
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    Check your care instructions tag to see what laundry detergents are safe for your clothes. Place a small amount on the area that was stained. Lightly work it into the fabric with a cloth or sponge. [18]
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    Follow the care instructions on your tag. Wash and dry your clothes accordingly. [19]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a27729301/water-based-paint-vs-oil-based-paint/
      2. ↑ https://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/painting-101-oil-or-latex
      3. ↑ https://www.frugallyblonde.com/how-to-get-dried-paint-out-of-clothes/
      4. ↑ https://tidymom.net/2014/how-to-get-paint-out-of-clothes/
      5. ↑ Susan Stocker. Cleaning Guru. Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.
      6. ↑ https://www.frugallyblonde.com/how-to-get-dried-paint-out-of-clothes/
      7. ↑ https://tidymom.net/2014/how-to-get-paint-out-of-clothes/
      8. ↑ https://www.frugallyblonde.com/how-to-get-dried-paint-out-of-clothes/
      9. ↑ https://tidymom.net/2014/how-to-get-paint-out-of-clothes/
      1. ↑ https://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/painting-101-oil-or-latex
      2. ↑ https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a27729301/water-based-paint-vs-oil-based-paint/
      3. ↑ https://www.frugallyblonde.com/how-to-get-dried-paint-out-of-clothes/
      4. ↑ https://tidymom.net/2014/how-to-get-paint-out-of-clothes/
      5. ↑ Susan Stocker. Cleaning Guru. Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.
      6. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a17273/stains-paint-latex-may07/
      7. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-clothes/
      8. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-clothes/
      9. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-clothes/
      10. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-clothes/

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